Pope Aspros
by Gold Saint Mu
Summary: Aspros is the Gemini Saint who is worthy of becoming the next Grand Pope and assists in the Holy War. Hades finally attacks him where it hurts the most: through Defteros.
1. The Next Pope

Aspros had been summoned by the Pope and arrived to find Sisyphus there as well. They knelt before the Pope.

"As you both know, I chose Sagittarius Sisyphus to succeed me as Grand Pope. He has turned down the position. Gemini Aspros, I had my reservations about making you the next Pope because I feared your passions would consume you, but you have passed my final test, and I name you my successor."

"My apologies, Your Holiness, but I cannot accept," Aspros said.

Sage started. He knew Aspros had been working hard to become the next Pope. "Why do you want to refuse such an honor?"

"You chose Sisyphus, Grand Pope, and I do not believe he has the right to turn down the position. It is our duty to serve Athena, and becoming the next Pope is a duty like any other." Aspros glanced over at Sisyphus then raised his head to look at the Pope. "I _insist_ that Sisyphus accept your original decision. You chose him for a reason, and I foretell disaster should we not follow the will of Athena and the prophecies of the stars."

Sage closed his eyes and searched inwardly for the answer. Athena was still too young to make the decision by herself, but it was true that she favored Sisyphus. She was more familiar with him. Hakurei also favored Sisyphus but mostly because he was older than Aspros. Still, Sisyphus prided himself on being the perfect saint, a model for the younger saints. He had reason to be proud, but Sage feared his pride would become hubris. But Aspros was almost too good to be true, and that in itself made Sage nervous. Aspros' shadow, Defteros, also worried Sage. Aspros would finally release the chaotic star, and he wasn't sure what that would bring.

"What say you, Sagittarius?" Sage said at last.

"I am a fine leader of men, but Aspros is the smarter. With time, I think he will prove to be the better Pope," Sisyphus said. It was true. In fact, Aspros could be considered a genius. But then, Degel was also extremely well-read. Intellect alone couldn't be the determining factor. Of course, Degel was too young and lacked the sociability of the other two. Sage sighed.

"Let me think more upon this matter then." Sage shook his head. "I was so sure of myself before."

"Only a fool never doubts himself," Aspros quipped.

Sage smiled. "True enough."


	2. Don't Die

Sisyphus walked back down the many steps of Sanctuary with Aspros. "So, honestly, why didn't you accept, Aspros? False modesty isn't very becoming of you."

"False modesty?" Aspros raised an eyebrow and laughed. "Hardly. You were the one who said I would be the better Pope, not I."

"But you believe it as well."

"I do," Aspros agreed. "During our audience, I never once said I wouldn't make an excellent Pope. But Sage-sama made his decision and has to live with it."

Sisyphus stopped and turned so they were looking eye-to-eye. "Admit it: you still want the papacy."

"Of course," Aspros said smoothly. "And I will have the position after you're dead." Sisyphus looked surprised. Aspros continued, "Sage was not chosen to be the next Pope by the previous one. He received the job because he and Hakurei were the only two saints left alive after the last Holy War. Hakurei forced him to take the title of Cancer Gold Saint and Pope. You're so noble. You'll undoubtedly sacrifice yourself for Athena. Me? I will live, not because I fear death or am less dedicated to Athena but because I am most useful to her alive. I will live to help orchestrate this war and to prepare for the next one. If you could learn this, then I think you might be the better Pope. But at the moment? Yes, I would make the better Pope."

"Thank you, Aspros," Sisyphus said after a moment of reflection. "You're right, of course. I didn't consider this weakness in myself."

Aspros nodded. "Athena-sama is only 12 years old right now, and Hades' specters are already showing themselves. It won't be long now before the Holy War begins. Do you remember the first time someone close to you died? She's half our age. Youth helps insulate people from death because they can't fully comprehend its meaning—in fact, that's why young people make such good soldiers—but they do understand loss and separation. Deaths are inevitable in war, but every single death that occurs will be a blow to her. If we are to help her, then we must live."

Sisyphus made a face. "I can't believe I'm being lectured to, but, no, everything you say is true. I remember how I felt when I first learned of Leo Ilias' death. I was shaken to the core. The Gold Saints seemed invincible, and he was so powerful. Aldebaran and I were still young. I didn't know how we'd get along without him or where we'd find someone as skilled as him. Regulus is amazing though."

"My mother," Aspros said after a moment.

"Hm?"

"I lost her when I was five. So many saints are orphans. Sometimes, I wonder how our lives would have been if she had lived," Aspros admitted. Perhaps Defteros wouldn't have had to wear the mask. After all, he hadn't in infancy. "We were both there, one of us on each side, holding her hands. I promised her I'd take care of Defteros—he used to get sick a lot and she worried."

Aspros rarely talked about his family. In fact, most of them didn't. It was the nature of going to school together. Mostly, kids talked about themselves or their teachers, but they weren't kids anymore.

"What about your father?" Sisyphus asked.

"I don't know. My mother said we didn't have one, and I was too young to believe otherwise." Aspros brooded.

"Both of my parents are still alive," Sisyphus admitted. "They live in Rodorio village, one of the villages close to Sanctuary. Pope Sage-sama noticed me during one of his visits and recruited me. I'm lucky in that respect. Shion came from Tibet, Dohko from China. They must miss their homeland."

"Well, Shion's situation is unique."

"True enough. This is my stop," Sisyphus said. They had reached the Sagittarius temple. Aspros nodded. "But come visit me when you have a chance. Now that all twelve Gold Saints are assembled, we should get to know each other better."

"Before it's too late, right?" Aspros said with a wry smile.

"I won't die," Sisyphus promised.


	3. Poisonous Pride

Scentless Demon Rose petals fluttered in the wind. Shion hurried to protect the village from Griffin Minos, but the Aries Saint was young and wouldn't be able to stop the most powerful of the Three Judges. Although he was the only one with a strong defensive technique, Shion wouldn't know to summon his Crystal Wall before Minos' attack with the invisible puppet strings.

Albafica blood was the deadliest poison in the world. Minos had stopped the needles of his crimson thorn. He needed something stronger: a bloody rose. It was a more precise attack that would penetrate the Griffin surplice and go directly for his heart. Albafica pulled out one of his bloody roses to pierce his own heart and fill the rose with his poisonous blood.

"Stop!" Albafica, already struggling and on the verge of collapsing, glanced up. "You're not going to die here, Albafica," Aspros said sternly.

"That bastard Minos," Albafica said with labored breath. "I'll show him the pride and power of a Gold Saint."

"No," Aspros said firmly. "You will do no such thing. I don't care if it hurts your pride, but you're not going to die just to defeat your enemy."

"Don't come near me!" Albafica said as Aspros approached him.

"I've surrounded my body with my Cosmos. It'll protect me from your poison for a while." Aspros snatched up the bloody rose so he couldn't do anything stupid and picked up the wounded Saint. Albafica struggled to get out of his arms.

"I'm a dead man anyway. He broke every bone in my body, and I've lost most of my blood."

"You're alive. You'll heal." Aspros' expression hardened. "Live—that is an order from the future Pope."


	4. Saving Shion

As Albafica had predicted, Shion wasn't prepared for Minos' Cosmic Marionettion and struggled against the strings that threatened to break his neck. Minos laughed, confident in his victory. Suddenly, the puppeteer's strings snapped, freeing Shion.

"Who's there?" Minos demanded. The air between the Specter and Saint ripped open, and a man with a strange metal mask stepped out. "Another dimension?"

"Sorry I'm late, Shion. They're still preparing reinforcements but that takes time so my brother sent me," Defteros said

Minos laughed. "What can you do against me? You're not even a Saint." Minos couldn't see the smirk but heard the mocking chuckle and growled in response.

"I don't have time to play with you." Defteros raised his arms and ignited his Cosmos. "GALAXIAN EXPLOSION!" Minos screamed as his body was disintegrated into stellar dust. "Good luck reviving."


	5. Live Strong

"KAGAHO!" Dohko attacked the Specter, who dodged, leaving a large crater where Dohko's fist had hit the ground.

"Actually, I only wanted to kill you, Dohko, for hurting Hades-sama." Kagaho glanced at Aldebaran. "But he got in the way." Dohko growled and his Cosmos formed the image of a fierce tiger.

"Wait, Dohko!" Aldebaran broke free of the crucifix ankh. "Athena only approves of one-on-one fights, and as long as I still have the will to continue fighting, you can't interfere."

"But Aldebaran-!"

"But nothing." Aldebaran faced off with Kagaho. "Let's finish this, Kagaho."

"Pretending to be all strong..." Kagaho clenched his fist. "I'll make sure that you die this time."

"Aldebaran-sama!" Saro slid down the side of the rock, but Teneo stopped him from rushing into the battlefield. "I don't want Aldebaran-sama to die!"

"What are you guys doing here?" Aldebaran demanded and was distracted so only peripherally took note of Defteros' approach. Teneo was about to reply when Defteros punched Aldebaran hard enough to knock him out.

"Defteros?" Dohko's eyebrow shot up. "What are you doing?"

"Making sure he can't continue fighting." Defteros looked at the kids. "To live strong, you have to _live_ and that means knowing when to quit."

"It's fine with me if you want to fight," Kagaho said. "I only want to kill Dohko, and I'll kill anyone who gets in my way." Dohko took a step forward but Defteros stopped him.

"This is no time to settle personal scores," Defteros said. "Sanctuary is on alert."

"And he's an invading Specter!" Dohko said. Defteros pushed him aside.

"GALAXIAN EXPLOSION!" Defteros cried out. Kagaho crashed onto the ground and at first seemed to be dead. Then he finally stirred and stumbled to Defteros.

"Why didn't you kill me?" Kagaho demanded.

"I don't know what Hades did to you or if you are chasing a shadow as Aldebaran said, but you're not a Specter. You'll figure it out sooner or later." Defteros knelt down and put his arm under Aldebaran's. "Come on, Dohko. Help me out here." He glanced back. "You're the Phoenix Saint, Kagaho. Nothing can change that."

Just like nothing could change the fact that Defteros had as much claim to the Gemini Cloth as his brother Aspros.


	6. Pope Planning

"If you're here, Older Brother, then it must be serious," Sage said.

Hakurei nodded. "Thanatos, the God of Death, and Hypnos, the God of Sleep. It seems the two gods who aided Hades in the last Holy War are now controlling him."

"Don't worry." Sage tossed his Pope's helmet into the air and caught it. "They made the first move in the last war. We will this time."

"We are a team." The two started and turned to the intruder: Gemini Aspros. "Even if it is the two of you, you can't do whatever you like without consulting the rest of us."

"Silence," Sage said harshly. "I am the Pope, and I make these decisions."

"With all due respect, Grand Pope, Elder of Jamir, you two are being selfish," Aspros said critically. "You are doing this because you want revenge for your fallen friends."

"Yes!" Hakurei snapped. He didn't deal with the other Saints on a regular basis so wasn't as patient with them. "Is that wrong?"

"Yes, it is. You both have a responsibility to Athena-sama."

"And we are acting for Athena."

"No. You are acting in the name of Athena, much like the twin gods are acting in the name of Hades but keeping him imprisoned. However clever you might believe your plan to be, you cannot act on your own like this." Aspros was firm and undeterred by the harsh gazes of the two old men.

"Hakurei will take over once I'm gone," Sage said.

"And if you fail?"

"We have backup plans."

"Then share them!" Aspros demanded. "Not just with your student; I suspect you have something planned with Manigoldo, but I doubt you gave him the bigger picture. Sisyphus is in a sleep from which he is unable to wake. We need to make plans with the assumption that any of us could be disabled or dead at any moment." His eyes narrowed. "If the two of you are dead and Sisyphus remains asleep forever, then I will have the papacy. As the next in line to be Pope, I insist on being included in your council!"

The two old men looked at each other.

"Dammit. If only he didn't have such flawless logic," Hakurei growled. Shion got mouthy from time to time, but he was easier to brush off because his objections usually lacked substance.

"Who's in line after me?" Aspros asked.

"I didn't exactly make a list," Sage said dryly.

"Perhaps you'd better," Aspros said bluntly. "Sisyphus is trapped in the dream realm; Aldebaran and Asmita are dead; and Albafica is still healing. Four out of twelve Gold Saints—we've already lost a third of our fighting force."

Sage and Hakurei looked at each other again.

"Okay," Sage conceded. "Manigoldo is already gone; he's watching over Tenma. El Cid has been sent to find Sisyphus."

"Five and six. Regulus is too young—seven. That's more than half the Golds."

"We get the point," Hakurei said sourly. "Shion and Dohko are still young. I'd prefer they be left out of the councils until the last possible moment."

"So that leaves three of us: me, Scorpio Kardia, and Aquarius Degel." Aspros folded his arms. "Scorpio is not leader material, and Pisces' poison makes it impossible for him so he'll be unable to lead even when he recovers."

"Go summon Degel then," Sage said as he made a face and waved his hand. He looked a lot like Hakurei when he did that.

Aspros nodded, bowed to his elders, and then added, "Thank you, Sage-sama, Hakurei-sama. I was afraid you'd be unwilling to listen to the advice of someone a tenth your age."

"Rub it in, why don't you?" Hakurei said sourly. "I take back what I said before," Hakurei said to Sage after Aspros had left. "He would make an excellent Pope."

"I agree," Sage said with a nod. "Sanctuary would flourish under his guidance."


	7. Plotting Against Death

"Let me help you seal Thanatos," Aspros pleaded to Sage. "I can close any dimensional spaces that he tries to open."

"We're not talking about other dimensions," Sage said sternly. "We're talking about the path that gods walk."

Aspros nodded. "I can do it. I've been studying." Since Sage had favored him for the papacy, he'd allowed Aspros access to the Pope's library, where Aspros spent all of his free time diligently studying. "It'll also allow you to conserve your seals. Besides, you and Manigoldo use the same attacks. It might be useful to have different attacks handy."

"As you said, we need a leader for the Saints. It's enough that I risk my life; I don't want to risk yours as well," Sage said.

"Yes, but Hakurei isn't involved in this plot, and he can lead if we both die," Aspros pointed out.

"You might as well plan to have him there, Grand Pope," Degel said. "Now that he knows, he'll be able to tear space and join you wherever the battle may be, whether it is in hell or Hades' castle. Thanatos will repeatedly return to his host body when you draw out his soul until you succumb to exhaustion. Unless you think you can snap him in half with your legs, you will need something besides the Cancer attacks. Thanatos' body is as susceptible as any to a Galaxian Explosion."

"Hm." Sage looked to Hakurei. They had been planning this for so long now that he was almost scared to make any changes to the plan, however small. Hakurei nodded.

"They have a fair point," Hakurei admitted. "But Thanatos needs to be drawn into Sage's body in order for him to be able to use the chest given to us by Athena, and I worry he'll take one of their bodies instead even though taking the Pope's would be most beneficial to him."

"Then it's perfect for me to be there," Aspros said. "At the crucial moment, I'll open another dimension, and Manigoldo and I will leave the battlefield. He'll think we're retreating—you can even add a nice little 'Run!' for added effect—and be left with you."

"And then he'll try to take my body," Sage finished, just like in the original plan but with less risk. "Okay, we'll do it your way."

Aspros brightened up. "Also, before Thanatos attacks, we should have Athena make new seals. You used a lot during the altercation with Hades in Sanctuary. Blood replenishes itself about every 120 days. She should be able to use up to a quart without weakening herself at all."

"You have been studying a lot, haven't you?" Sage turned to Hakurei. "After I seal Thanatos away, I leave the rest to you."

"Not just me apparently." Hakurei looked at Gemini and Aquarius and smiled.


	8. Sealing Thanatos

Manigoldo followed Tenma into the Forest of Death and disposed of Veronica with relative ease. Ok, so he had a little bit of trouble with the Specter, but it was nothing he couldn't handle. Thanatos was a different story. It would be so sweet to kill the God of Death. Even if he wouldn't technically be dead since his body was in the Elysium Fields, he would be bodiless in this world and forced to flee.

Or so he thought. Thanatos' soul wouldn't burn.

The God of Death casually opened a path to the gods and the gap widened, threatening to kill Manigoldo.

"I finally found you, Thanatos," Sage said as he closed the dimensional rift with several of the seals just before it wounded Manigoldo.

Everything seemed to be going according to plan until Thanatos attacked with his Terrible Providence. Manigoldo jumped in front of his master to protect him. The Cancer Gold Cloth protected Manigoldo in turn, but he was still badly hurt. Thanatos smiled mockingly.

"The Gold Cloth saved you, but your body is still tremendously fragile," Thanatos said. Instead of attacking with a burst of power, he targeted the areas that weren't covered by Cloth.

"Manigoldo!" Sage gritted his teeth. He wasn't out of tricks yet. "TALISMAN CAGE!" Even Hades had been weakened by the Talisman Cage. Unfortunately, they had been in Sanctuary at that time. In a burst of power, Thanatos destroyed the seals.

"You will not be able to restrain Thanatos with a couple of old seals!" Thanatos prepared to use his Terrible Providence again and then noticed that some of the seals had held. "What trickery is this?"

"Not all the seals are old, Thanatos," Sage said. His ever impetuous student attacked Thanatos at that moment, punching him in the face.

Thanatos was surprised, truly surprised. His left cheek had a red welt on it. He became thoroughly pissed, and that gave him the strength to break free of the remaining seals.

"I will not forgive this, Human!" Thanatos roared. "You will pay with your bodies!" He ripped open a dimension again, the path to the gods. And the first will be your arrogant student!"

At that moment, the world turned. Sage and Manigoldo found themselves upside down, but their feet remained planted to the ground. Thanatos paused.

"Sorry, Sage-sama. I had trouble finding the the right dimension. Luckily, I was able to trace the Cancer Cosmos," Aspros said and gave Manigoldo a grateful nod. Manigoldo just looked at him blankly. I had to move this plane as quickly as possible before Manigoldo's leg got caught in the path of the gods."

"Another human?" Thanatos finally managed to say. He also rotated so he was upside down and facing his enemies. "You can all die together."

"No, I won't let you take either of their lives, not like last time," Sage said as he began to draw Thanatos' soul out of his body.

"I don't know what you're trying but-" Thanatos did find himself being drawn out and was unable to return to his body.

"Hey, it felt really good to punch you in the face. Let's see what else you've got," Manigoldo said. They didn't really need to draw him out very far or for very long. Aspros brought his arms above his head.

"GALAXIAN EXPLOSION!" Aspros cried out as he released the power to destroy galaxies upon the God of Death. His body was instantly obliterated, and his soul was wounded too. Thanatos was surprised, but then his expression became ugly and filled with hatred.

"YOU! TERRIBLE PROVIDENCE!" Thanatos attacked Aspros, who bent the space around him. The energy was transported to another dimension.

In the meanwhile, Sage brought out the holy chest from the Altar Cloth. While Thanatos was distracted, Sage opened it, sucked the god right into his cage, snapped it closed, and slapped a seal over it.

"Where the hell were you all this time?" Manigoldo complained to Aspros.

"Sorry, bathroom break," Aspros joked despite the gravity of the situation.

"Hm, fair enough. When you've got to go, you've got to go." Manigoldo looked over at the chest in his master's hands. "So, can we go back now? I need to go too." Aspros laughed and opened a dimension back to Sanctuary.

Hakurei was surprised to see his brother. "I thought for sure you'd die in this final fight against the God of Death," he said.

"For a moment there, I thought I was going to die too and wasn't sure if we would be able to defeat him," Sage said. "The plan worked better than I thought it would."


	9. Dreams

"El Cid will eventually need help dealing with the Dream Gods," Hakurei said in what was now their war room. "Manigoldo is in no condition to help him. I was thinking of sending Albafica now that he's healed."

"A good choice." Degel flipped to one of the pictures in his book about the Dream Gods. "They are lords of dream and likely to be distracted by his beauty, and his roses should be able to counter Morpheus' pansies if used in the correct way. I'll talk to him about it. However, I am worried about the four of them combining their souls to fight. We'd have to hit all four gods at once at precisely the same time."

"I can take care of that if the situation arises," Aspros said confidently. "The Galaxian Explosion is instantaneous and can cover large areas as easily as small ones. I can make sure it hits all four gods at once."

"Another trick you picked up?" Degel asked. Aspros smiled smugly.

"Defteros could be there with a back up Galaxian Explosion just for insurance. He has reached his seventh sense and can attack without the Gemini cloth if necessary," Aspros added.

Sage frowned. He hadn't died in the encounter with Thanatos as he'd expected. Thanatos had wounded them but not fatally. Apparently, having two new advisers did help. But this was the one thing regarding Aspros that continued to make him uneasy. Defteros couldn't be trusted, but Aspros insisted on using him when necessary because of his power, which was immense indeed.

Hakurei met Sage's gaze and nodded. Defteros made them nervous. The chaotic star was unpredictable but it also meant he could change fates that were otherwise set in the heavens. Defteros was undeniably useful in this Holy War. They'd considered awarding him a silver cloth at some point in order to prevent his predicted attempt to seize the Gemini cloth. It was so odd. Aspros could read the stars as well as they could at this point. Why wasn't he worried about being betrayed by his brother? It was dangerous not to take such things into account. Still... Defteros had contributed to this Holy War so much already, and his cosmos clearly wasn't sealed by the mask that he'd been forced to wear since childhood.

"It's time Defteros received his own cloth," Sage said. "Which of the available Silver Cloths do you think suit him best?"

"Although he has the power of a Gold Saint and it would seem most reasonable to give him a Silver Cloth, I would prefer that he receive the Phoenix Bronze Cloth because the Gemini constellation is part of the southern mansions of the Vermillion Bird in Chinese astrology," Aspros said.

"Oh? If you're done with the book, could you lend it to me?" Degel asked. "I haven't read much about Eastern astrology though I know it plays a part in such techniques as those of the Cancer Saint." Aspros nodded. They shared a lot of books and were starting to do so even more now that they had decided Degel would be a good candidate for Pope, allowing him access to material that would have previously been off-limits.

"Very well. Before we embark upon this next battle, let me entrust the Phoenix Bronze Cloth to Defteros. Please summon him."


	10. The Phoenix Saint

"Let me begin by apologizing for sealing your Cosmos," Sage said. "There were some predictions—well, nevermind that now. I'm glad your Cosmos was able to develop despite the mask and lack of official training. You've already played a key role in this Holy War. I would like to bestow upon you the Phoenix Cloth."

Defteros stared at the Phoenix Cloth. To be able to fly, to be free! It was a Bronze Cloth, but it had the power to regenerate, something that even the Gold Cloths couldn't do. There was only one problem.

"I've met the true Phoenix Saint," Defteros admitted. "Bennu Kagaho."

"The one who fought Taurus?" Sage said with surprise. Defteros nodded. "How can someone be both Saint and Specter?"

"I don't know, but his Cosmos was unmistakable."

"The Phoenix Cloth was Aspros' suggestion," Sage said. "What other Cloth would you choose?"

"Besides Gemini," Aspros said with a wry smile. "You can borrow it when I'm not using it."

"You mean when you've gotten the crap beaten out of you?" Defteros joked. It felt good to be able to make such jokes now. Before, it would have been a touchy subject. "I like the idea of being reborn. Kagaho isn't using it so I might as well. Shouldn't let a good Cloth go to waste."

"So true," Hakurei said. There were far too many Cloths to repair. It made sense to put the one that could regenerate on its own into action.

"Very well." Sage gestured for Defteros to take up the Phoenix Cloth. "We'll hold the ceremony later. I'm afraid wartime isn't the best time for such things, but I'll make certain everyone knows of the new Phoenix Saint."


	11. Waging War

"Is this seriously the plan?" Defteros demanded incredulously. "You're going to march up there, kick everyone's ass, and stick the sword in the seal in Hades' castle?"

"What? Don't think I can take them on?" Hakurei scowled. He was old but his cosmos hadn't weakened over time.

"No, I don't," Defteros said defiantly. "You can kill hundreds of peons, but what if the remaining two Judges, Rhadamanthys and Aiacos, gang up on you?"

"Defteros!" Sage said sternly. Aspros put a hand on his brother's forearm. He wasn't used to associating with others. In fact, he'd never even met the Pope until recently.

"Sorry," Defteros grumbled. "I didn't mean to be disrespectful, but I still think this is a bad idea."

"Have a better idea?" Hakurei challenged. Defteros simmered but remained restrained by his brother's hand.

"We have several thousand soldiers," Degel said as he tapped the end of his quill pen against his cheek. He'd become the unofficial secretary who took minutes for their meetings. "How do you plan to move them from Greece to Italy? We don't have a navy."

"Atla," Hakurei said. "My youngest student has powerful psychic abilities. For him, moving an entire army across such a distance will be easy."

"Then moving siege weapons shouldn't be a problem for him," Aspros said. "Why not wage war the normal way?"

"Because of Hades' barrier!" Hakurei snapped.

"We don't have to actually storm the castle, just continuously catapult fiery boulders at them. We will have them surrounded, effectively cutting off their supply lines. Hades can raise the dead, but he can't prevent his people from starving," Aspros pointed out. "Usually, extended sieges are dangerous because the enemy will have reinforcements come and trap us between the reinforcements and the castle. In this case, we know Hades' entire force is in the castle.

"They'll try to attack our supplies so the Saints can help guard those. Depending on how powerful Atla is and how quickly he recovers, he'll be our primary method of delivering food and fresh water—they'll probably poison the water near the castle. We'll have to make sure he stays safe. We should also start sending supplies by ship as a secondary source and so the enemy won't figure out our primary method of supplying the army."

Sisyphus nodded. "I get it. Eventually, they'll realize they have to attack and have to leave the barrier to do so. We should be able to take them on in a fair fight. We just have to make certain our battle lust doesn't get the better of us and command our troops to pull back when Hades' army retreats within the barrier again."

"An excellent strategy but useless if Hades kills all of our army in one blow or Hypnos puts them into a deep sleep," Hakurei said. "Our Cosmos protects us from such attacks to some degree, but the common soldier will not have the same protection."

"If it was that hopeless, then why have soldiers in the first place?" Defteros asked. "Athena will have to defend them from such extreme situations."

"If either of them use such a tactic, he'll be weakened. If it's Hades who's weakened, then he won't be able to maintain the barrier around his castle. Our troops' deaths will not be in vain; the Saints will attack directly and have a good chance of victory. If Hypnos weakens himself, then that would be the perfect time to instigate Hakurei-sama and Sage-sama's plan against Hypnos," Aspros said.

"Either way we will fight Hypnos," Sage said, "but your tactic makes more sense, I admit. We might still break into the castle and destroy Hades' seal, but we'll do it after this siege has been going on for some time."

"Usually, at the end of the Holy War, Hades' host body is destroyed and his soul retreats to Hell, but Athena is hoping to avoid killing Alone," Hakurei said. "We have to leave that fight to Athena and Pegasus."

Sage nodded. "I'll report our decisions to Athena.


	12. Youths

"Who's this?" Aspros asked. He had been moving among the army and boosting morale. They were about to start their siege on Hades' castle and many of the troops had trained hard but never been in an actual fight.

"Gemini Aspros-sama!" Teneo said with surprise. He'd never met such a high-ranking Saint. Aldebaran had been a Gold Saint but he hadn't been next in line for Pope.

"That didn't answer my question," Aspros said archly.

"This is Saro." Teneo glanced down at Saro, who had hidden behind him.

"He's too young to be here," Aspros said flatly. "I'm sending him back to Greece." Saro's jaw dropped open. He stood up straight and stepped out from behind Teneo.

"I'm here to fight for Athena! I'm not scared to die for her," Saro said. "Not anymore."

"Brave words. However, the battlefield is a dangerous place, and you're too young to die." Aspros looked expectantly at Teneo.

"It's ok, Saro." Teneo patted Saro. "Do as Aspros-sama commands." Saro scuffed his feet.

"Go ahead and say goodbye. I'm still rounding up other inappropriate tag-alongs." Aspros knelt down and put a hand on Saro's shoulder. "You see, I'm not angry, Saro. You're not in trouble. I'm actually really happy to see so many young people eager to fight for love, justice, and Athena, but you are the very people we are fighting to protect. We want you to live," Aspros explained to the boy.

Teneo watched Aspros leave. "He really is a demi-god."

Later that day, Aspros approached Sage. "Today, I met Teneo, one of Aldebaran's fosterlings," Aspros said. "He's not ready to be a Saint, but it did make me think: Why don't we have the Gold Saints in training take up their Cloth? They've been trained for a reason. It is dangerous to lose someone slated to be the next Gold Saint, but this is why they work so hard, not just to be a Saint in peace time but to defend earth in a time of war."

"I suppose it simply hasn't been done before," Sage admitted. "There's no reason it can't be. If Ilias was still alive, he would have the Leo Cloth. Once he died, it would be passed on to Regulus, who has earned it."

"I know Teneo wants to be the next Taurus Gold Saint, but he won't qualify at this time, but there are other candidates," Aspros said.

This wasn't a war council so it was only the two of them. Still, it seemed like such a major decision that Sage almost wanted to consult Hakurei. Almost. Hakurei had left the papacy to him. He made the decisions, not his brother. Releasing Tenma immediately after Aldebaran's death had been bad enough. Hakurei had said he'd take full responsibility, but really, what was Sage going to do to him? Throw him in Cape Sunion?

"I can't imagine anyone but Asmita as the Virgo Saint," Sage admitted.

"Don't think of them as the Gold Saint then. Think of them as Saints who are temporarily borrowing another Cloth," Aspros suggested.

"Who do you have in mind?"

"As fate would have it, Yuzuriha is a Virgo, and Yato is a Taurus," Aspros said. "I double checked before approaching you."

"Yuzuriha I can see borrowing the Virgo Gold Cloth, but Yato with the Taurus Cloth? Ah well. I suppose he is as headstrong as a bull has been Tenma's constant companion in this Holy War," Sage said. "It's a pity Defteros isn't a Taurus or Virgo then." If he was, then perhaps he could be pacified and not try to seize the Gemini Cloth in the future.


	13. What if?

The Holy War had been going on for quite some time, and the skirmishes between Saints and Specters were becoming fiercer. Finally, it was time to seal Hypnos! Unfortunately, Hakurei couldn't leave camp without being discovered by Shion.

"What would a brat like you understand?" Hakurei said harshly to his student Shion. "Instead of bothering an old man, why don't you go to fight in the Holy War?" Hakurei turned and walked away.

"Master!" Shion cried. He looked after him for a long time and then clenched his fist. He'd made his decision.

"It's been a long time since Hakurei has been young and stupid so he probably doesn't realize his lame speech won't stop you from following him," Aspros said to a startled Shion. "But I do know better." Shion's expression fell. Then he straightened up.

"I will help my master even if it kills me," Shion said stubbornly.

"You'll do no such thing. I'll strip you of the Aries Cloth and tie you to a tree naked if I have to." Shion's made a face at the thought, but Aspros would probably carry out his threat. "The truth is you're a liability to your master in this situation. If the enemy captures you and uses you as a hostage, we would be screwed."

"I would never let that happen!"

"You might not have a choice in the matter. For all your willingness to die, your master wants you to live." Aspros folded his arms. "But I do think Hakurei is dealing with you in the wrong way so let me explain what's going on. He is going into Hades' castle to destroy the seal that maintains the barrier that weakens us by 10%." Shion's opened his mouth, but Aspros held up a hand to stop him from interrupting. "Hakurei has a sword from the last Holy War that was forged from the blood and blessings of Athena and protects him from the dampening field. Without it, you are subject to the dampening barrier and can't help him.

"I know he's taking a tremendous risk. It's likely he'll encounter Hades or Hypnos. To counter that, Sisyphus will be there to help. He will be weakened so he won't be able to use his lightning attacks, but his arrows are blessed by Athena and will not lose their efficacy. However, we can't risk revealing this until the last possible moment. Therefore, Sisyphus is here with us and will go to Hakurei's side when he's called."

"But we can't teleport into Hades' castle, can we? Can Atla breach that barrier?" Shion said. He also had teleportation powers but they weren't as powerful as Atla's.

"My brother Defteros will go. He can tear open a dimension that leads into Hades' castle. On one side of the dimension, he'll retain his powers, but on the other, he'll be subject to Hades' barrier. Therefore, he and Sisyphus will stay within the other dimension and Sisyphus will shoot from there." Shion was clearly impressed.

"What if Hades absorbs the arrow and shoots it back like he did in the invasion of Sanctuary?"

"I suppose Defteros would simply close the dimension before that happens."

"Then why not use the Another Dimension technique to bring my master to the seal?" Shion asked.

"Because we don't know where it is."

"I see. Maybe we should try bribing one of the soldiers?" Shion suggested.

Aspros raised an eyebrow. "I doubt they'd be able to recognize the seal."

"Oh, well. I suppose things can't be that easy. If you have all this planned out, why didn't you tell us earlier?"

"Hakurei felt you were too young to be included in our meetings." Aspros rubbed his chin. "But seeing you now, I think he's wrong. I can see where your questions might be annoying for him, but they're valid points and useful for planning. Perhaps it's time you join our council. I'll speak to the Pope about it.


	14. Sealing Hypnos

"Could this not be enough against a god? I need more power." Hakurei leaped at Hypnos. "Then I will add my soul as well!"

"His soul is attacking me?" Hypnos laughed.

Even with Hakurei's soul, it wasn't enough power. Hakurei burned his Cosmos to the max. He'd seal Hypnos even if it killed him. He drew out the chest inside his Altar Cloth. Suddenly, the world ripped apart and Sage came flying out to join his brother.

"What?" Hypnos screamed.

With Sage's added power, they were able to seal Hypnos. Hakurei held the box, surprised and relieved to be alive.

"Finally, you are sealed just like-"

"No time for that!" Sage grabbed Hakurei by the wrist and pulled him into the other dimension, which quickly closed behind them.

"The seal!" Hakurei reached out to where the seal had been before the dimension closed. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"You sealed Hypnos. That is enough," Sage said. "How long do you think it'll be before Hades makes his appearance?"

"I only needed a second to destroy the seal!"

"Maybe, but we don't know if you had a whole second." Sage made a cutting motion in the air. "Just shut up and listen for a moment." Hakurei glowered at him but allowed his brother to have his say. "We know where the seal is. There's nothing stopping us from going back the same way we escaped. Hell, we could have a dimensional rift opened right above the seal and stab it from our side."

"That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard," Hakurei grumbled, "but I suppose it's true."

"It was Shion's suggestion," Sage said with a smirk. Only now did Hakurei notice he was in the temporary war room that was Sage's tent.

"Master!" Shion pounced and hugged him. Hakurei looked thoroughly embarrassed.

"Right, I'm alive so you can stop that now," Hakurei said gruffly but did partially return Shion's embrace for a brief moment.

An incredible earthquake shook their tent. They ran outside to see Hades' castle crumbling.

"But the Specters inside-!" Sisyphus cried out.

"Hades doesn't care," Sage said grimly. "He must have figured out our plan. There's no longer any use for his castle." Even as he spoke, a staircase to the Lost Canvas appeared then faded like a rainbow. "It seems the outcome of the Holy War will be decided in the Heavens."


	15. Final Plans

"The end draws near. I think we should invite all the Gold Saints to this council," Shion said.

"Shion's right," Athena agreed. She had finally recovered from maintaining a barrier around her own army for so long.

"And Tenma, of course," Shion added with a gentle smile. Athena blushed and nodded.

"That bastard Hades fled to the lost canvas before I could dig his grave, and now he's in the sky and there's no way to reach him from here," Kardia grumbled to Degel but shut up before they entered the war room. After all, Athena had a soft spot for Hades—for Alone. They were one in the same to Kardia but their goddess' opinion is what mattered most.

The assembly of Gold Saints made them all painfully aware of Aldebaran and Asmita's absence.

"Hakurei and I will stay behind and guard Sanctuary," Sage said and put up a chart of the Solar System.

"The traditional representation of the Solar System includes nine planets," Sage said. "We can safely assume that Hades will be the guardian of the last dark temple, Pluto. It's named for him, after all. That leaves us with eight other guardians. We need to stop Hades before he completes the lost canvas so we need to do this as efficiently as possible.

"At each temple, one Gold Saint will challenge the guardian while the others continue forward. Sisyphus will decide which Gold Saint best matches the enemy when you're there. I want him and Aspros to accompany Athena and Pegasus to Pluto so that leaves exactly eight Golds for each dark temple."

"How are we getting up to the Lost Canvas?" Tenma asked.

"Defteros will open another dimension to the Gates of the Lost Canvas," Sage said. Besides Tenma, Defteros was the only Saint present who was not a Gold. "Once opened, he will guard the Gate to make certain you are not attacked from the rear. He will also be the Saint held in reserve. If any of you should meet an opponent who is too powerful for you, then you will call him. Let me repeat that: you _will_ call him. Yes, this is the part in the Holy War you might well die, and I want you to use all of your strength in your battle, but you also need to use exercise your best judgment and keep in mind that your final blow may not kill your opponent. He can go and find you dead, but he can't go and fight your opponent if you don't call him. If you're not dead, well, all the better. Of course, when you finish your battle, continue up to the Pluto temple. Any questions?"

Manigoldo raised his hand. "Did you come up with all that by yourself, Master?"

Sage made a face. "No. I admit it: I had help. Credit goes to Athena, Hakurei, Sisyphus, Aspros, Defteros, Degel, and Shion. But just because they're the initial planners doesn't mean I don't value the input of the rest of you. That's why I'm asking now." The room was silent. "Excellent. Man plans and plans but Heaven decides the outcome. Good luck to you all, Saints of Athena."


	16. The Scales of Justice

"I will play your game, putting all of my faith in Athena-sama," Sisyphus said. "Do you accept?"

"Your faith? You are really arrogant!" Pharoh laughed. Aspros caught Sisyphus' hand just as he was about to place it on the Balance of the Sphinx.

"Tsk, tsk. Sisyphus, what do you hope to achieve by ripping out your heart? Aren't you the one who just told us not to sacrifice our lives in battle without thinking about how it saddens Athena? I don't think even you can survive without a heart." Aspros slipped his hand around Sisyphus' and gave him an encouraging squeeze. He knew Sisyphus' real heart and feelings. "You've looked after her all her life, and you must continue to do so until she meets death—Hades."

Sisyphus reluctantly stepped back.

"So much for the great Saints of Athena," Pharoh said with malicious glee.

"Dohko, it's time to prove yourself as the Libra Saint. He's all yours," Aspros said and gestured for the other Saints to move back.

Dohko scratched his head and smiled. "Aspros, my Master never taught me any of that."

"Now is an excellent time to learn," Aspros said. "Shion, Crystal Wall, please."

Just before Shion summoned one, Athena's voice carried softly through the air: "I have faith in you, Dohko."

"Interesting. Libra Dohko." Pharoh skillfully moved his fingers over the strings of his harp. "Let's see how you counter my evil harp. Balance of Curse!"

The music prevented Dohko from moving his body, but he struggled against it and attacked.

"Rozan Ryū Hishō!"

Unfortunately, his attack lacked strength. Pharoh laughed and continued to play his cursed song. Dohko fell to his knees. His heart began to race and thumped harder and harder.

"You claim to fight for love and peace, but now the truth is revealed," Pharoh said triumphantly. "Your heart is filthy and impure."

Aspros wouldn't have sent him to his death. That meant there was some way to counter this. This damn Sacred Scale and it's damn feather of Ma'at. Time to prove yourself as the Libra Saint. But scales didn't balance other scales, did they?

That's it! Dohko shed his Libra Cloth in a burst of golden light so that it assembled into the form of the scales.

"Behold, the Scales of Justice!" Dohko shouted.

"What's this?" Pharoh demanded incredulously. Libra's scale appeared in front of the Sacred Scale and mirrored it. Any time the feather tipped the scale, Libra's scale tipped the opposite way. Between the two scales was equilibrium.

"Hmph! So you countered the scales. But how do you expect to fight me without your Cloth?" Pharoh said mockingly. "Die, Dohko! Death's World Requiem!" Pharoh played his deadly music. Dohko was ready for him and attacked before he could be incapacitated again.

"ROZAN HYAKURYU HA!" Dohko cried out. The roaring of his hundred dragons drowned out the harp's notes. Pharoh's harp broke and his body was destroyed by the dragons' fangs.

But before his death, Pharoh cast the last Curse of the Sphyinx and the Doors to the Lost Canvas slammed close again. The Doors to the Lost Canvas slammed shut again. This time, Dohko knew how to open them. He carefully balanced the scales of the Libra Cloth until it clicked like a key. The Gates shuddered and opened again. Dohko sighed heavily in relief. He looked up to see Athena's bright smile.

"I always believed in your heart, Dohko," she said.


	17. The Sea of Clouds

**The Sea of Clouds**

The Saints looked out at the sea of clouds. Clouds were, of course, an accumulation of water. Degel stepped forward.

"AURORA THUNDER ATTACK!" Degel cried out as he released his cold attack. A path of frozen ice paved the way for them. "Don't slip," he said. He had conserved his Cosmos by keeping the path narrow. They glanced down. It was a very, very long way down.

They came upon an arc of triumph that read: "From this point on, abandon all feelings of love from the past." The Saints looked at one another.

"What does that mean?" Tenma wondered aloud.

"Don't look back," Aspros said.

"Interesting. It's a different version of the inscription at the entrance to Hell. It seems the Lost Canvas is an amalgam of Alone's canvas and Hades' Hell," Degel said as they continued forward. "Pope Dante, the Pope previous to the one in the Holy War in which Sage-sama and Hakurei-sama fought wrote the Divine Comedy. Of the entrance, he wrote:

''Through me you pass into the city of woe:  
Through me you pass into eternal pain:  
Through me among the people lost for aye.

Justice the founder of my fabric mov'd:  
To rear me was the task of power divine,  
Supremest wisdom, and primeval love.

Before me things create were none, save things  
Eternal, and eternal I endure.  
All hope abandon ye who enter here.

Such characters in colour dim I mark'd  
Over a portal's lofty arch inscrib'd:  
Whereat I thus: Master, these words import.'

"Pope Dante was quite a poet, but perhaps it's because he needed a creative outlet for his sorrows," Degel continued. "Of the Holy Wars, his was said to be one of the fiercest. In that era, Hades tried to destroy the world with the 'Black Death,' a plague that wiped out half the population of the world. The Saints of Athena won by only a very slim margin, and every single one of them died."

Tenma vaguely thought he heard his name being called by people in his past, but he was riveted to Degel's story. "So if all of the Saints died, who became the next Pope?"

"Actually, Pope Dante survived," Degel said. "He also caught the Black Death while working ceaselessly to aid the people, but he was one of the fortunate few who survived the illness. The plague causes hideous disfiguration, which was the reason the Pope started wearing the helmet that is now synonymous with the position."

"Degel, your history lesson is putting me to sleep," Manigoldo complained. "We're past that point of no return, and even if we weren't, I'd rather be haunted by the voices from my past."

"Shh!" Kardia hissed. "Prey," he said quietly. They all stayed perfectly still. A boatman came up to them.

"What is this ice bridge?" He hit it a few times with his oar.

"Gotcha!" Kardia shot several scarlet needles into his body.

The boatman screamed. "Impossible! You're supposed to be stone!"

"What do you take us for? Fools?" Kardia stung him in several more places.

"Please, spare my life, and I'll take you to the bottom of the heavenly staircase," the Specter pleaded. "There are a lot more of you than I expected, but I can take in three or four of you."

Aspros raised an eyebrow. "We don't need your boat. We just need to follow the Cosmos of the Specters to get to the other end of the river of clouds."

"But... but..." The boatman sputtered.

"Die! ANTARES NEEDLE!" Kardia finished off the Specter with a last needle to the heart.

Aspros shook his head. "You're having way too much fun."


	18. Mercury: Albafica vs Minos

Athena and her Saints continued forward and reached the first dark temple.

"Griffin Minos," Albafica said with narrowed eyes. "You're the guardian of Mercury?"

"Didn't you die?" Tenma demanded. "Your soul should be trapped in Asmita's rosary?"

"You killed my underlings and stopped them from resurrecting by moving their bodies within Athena's barrier until the rosary was prepared. I wasn't one of those bodies, remember?" Minos' eyes glittered angrily. "I was completely obliterated by that Galaxian Explosion. But I have to thank you. It means I escaped the fate of the other Specters."

"This is my fight to finish," Albafica said as he drew out a Demon Rose.

Sisyphus nodded. "Let's go!"

"I see you've healed," Minos noted. "It's a shame you didn't stay in Sanctuary. Then I wouldn't have to kill you again." Albafica met each of his invisible strings with a Piranhan Rose.

"I've seen your tricks, Minos. The same attack doesn't work twice on a Saint," Albafica said.

"Really? We'll see about that."

Albafica didn't wait for Minos' next attack and remained on the offensive. "ROYAL DEMON ROSE!"

"Fool! Your Demon Roses can't stop me," Minos said. The Mercury temple continued to quickly fill with Demon Roses until Minos was surrounded by an entire garden. "Gigantic Feathers Flap!" The rose garden exploded in a burst of petals. "Now what? Will you use your Crimson Needles? You know they can't penetrate my Surplice."

"There's no need for that," Albafica said calmly. "Look at yourself." Minos looked down to see a white rose embedded in his Surplice. It was turning bright red.

"Demon Rose?" Minos said as he felt his life draining out of him.

"Wrong. That is a Bloody Rose that directly attacks your heart and sucks out all of your blood." Albafica smiled. "_That_ is for calling me beautiful, bastard. You're look pretty good yourself."

"Damn you, Albafica!" Minos reached out but collapsed before he could launch any final attack.


	19. Venus: Shion vs Lune

**Venus: Shion vs Lune**

The Temple of Venus was filled with millions of books.

Degel sucked in his breath. "This really is heaven."

"You still haven't changed after all these years, Lune," Shion said.

At the end of the shelves and scholars was a Specter calmly sitting at a large desk who continued to write despite the appearance of the Saints. "Shion, how many human lives do you think have already been recorded in these books? Several million."

"Well, obviously they can't all be yours," Degel said. "I don't think you're over 25, but let's say you're 30 just for the sake of argument. At 30 years with 365 days a year and 1 extra day for every leap year, 24 hours a day, if you wrote a man's entire life down in one day, you'd still have only written down the lives of about 260,000 people."

"Give him the benefit of the doubt, Degel," Aspros said. "Perhaps he can write a man's life down in a minute. At least then he might manage 15 million or so."

Lune looked up, annoyed at the Saints. "Silence!" Aspros and Degel couldn't help but to snicker. "Shion, you could be the one in charge of all this knowledge. Eight years ago, you already had all the requirements to carry out this duty. You recorded the wounds of every one of those Cloths." The Saints looked at one another.

"I am no longer the person you once knew," Shion said. "That person was left in the past thanks to my master."

"Hakurei," Lune said as his finger skimmed over the book. "It is true that after meeting him you have lost your way, but still, if you were to come under my guidance, you could achieve what you were destined for. And if not, your life will be absolutely meaningless!" The floor started collapsing.

"What is this?" Tenma screamed as he grabbed Athena and pulled her out of the way. The floor continued to split apart.

"Hell," Lune said. "The place where those who led sinful lives fall."

"You want to go to hell, Lune?" Manigoldo said as he powered up. "I can arrange that."

"Wait!" Shion created a Crystal Wall with himself and Lune on one side and the others on the other side. A Crystal Bridge covered the gaping hole in the ground. "Athena, please use this bridge and continue forward with the others. We don't have any time to lose. I promise I'll catch up. The way you talk about others with such concern reminds me of a young Hakurei."

"It seems you and Lune have a past together," Sisyphus said. "Very well, Shion. We'll go on ahead."

"What was that about wounds and a young Hakurei?" Manigoldo asked as they ran up the stairs. It was fortunate they all had a lot of practice with lots of stairs since Sanctuary was full of them.

"Shion can read people's lives through the wounds in your armors when he repairs them," Sisyphus explained.

"What?" Manigoldo made a face. "Well, that should give him some interesting things to see. If I'd known, I would've been a lot more careful with my Cloth."

Lune watched them go and then gave Shion his undivided attention.

"I see. You are truly a different person. In that case, I will show you the truth that you must face. The place where those departed warriors are imprisoned!"

"A world covered in ice? Is this one of the prisons of the underworld?

Cocytus. The place where those who committed the crime of rising up against the gods fall. You should be grateful. Your grave will be right next to theirs.

I treasured the memories of the deparated saints especially those heroic battles in which they fell one by one. I convinced myself that those saints had found a peaceful rest. How much I wanted to believe that. But... but... impossible...

"This cannot be true!" Shion said aloud.

"Do you not see it with your own eyes? This is the truth that you so proudly defended. All of this has been recorded in my books. Their bones are to be punished by the relentless cold and they will never be able to escape their sufferintg. Such is the place where those who committed the most unforgivable sin are condemned to. Cocytus!"

"Did you say sin? They fought to protect the world. How can you say that they committed a sin?"

"Is it not obvious? The mere fact of being Saints of Athena makes them all guilty nbecause even though they are mortals, tjhey dare to rise up against the gods. And you share the same wish as them! You have inherited their sins and their suffering."

Inherit their suffering? Because we fought every day of our lives? Is this our fate? Then why try so ardently to protect the world from suffering?

"Did they know what awaited them?" Shion looked down at the ice-covered world. He recognized most of them. During his four years as a bronzesmith, silversmith, and eventually even a goldsmith, he'd seen all the Cloths' past masters, not just the ones of the previous Holy War. No, not all of them did. Some of them had been painfully young when the Holy War occurred, and at that age, it was difficult to have a strong concept of death.

But not all. Some had chosen this harsh path and sacrificed their happiness and youth for thousands of people they had never met. Every minute he suffered in this icy hell was another minute the people lived their peaceful lives. Not only that, but their sacrifice protected the future generations—not just the future generation of Saints but of the world.

"I am prepared for it," Shion said with sudden clarity. "I will bear this burden and make it known to all the future Saints so they too know what awaits them." He ignited his Cosmos. "You never did understand: I wanted to learn about human history because I _cared_ about those people, all of them. My master made me realize that quality in myself." Shion attacked Lune with all his power. "STARDUST REVOLUTION!"

With the help of his omniscient book, Lune managed to dodge. "I'm disgusted seeing how low you have fallen." Lune's whip snapped at Shion, slashing him exactly where his armor did not protect him.

Shion rose despite the fogginess in his head from loss of blood and ignored the pain. "A human cannot judge the lives of others. It's time for you to be punished for your crimes against humanity." Shion jumped into the air and burst in the air. "STARLIGHT EXTINCTION!"

"What? But there was no record of this in the book," Lune said as his body faded. "How can it be?"

"I may not be able to imitate my master's Sekishiki Tenryou ha, but that doesn't mean I can't adapt it." Shion looked at the pages of the omniscient book, curious about its contents and yet... "That was your mistake Lune. You always focused too much on the past. As you said, people change. We need to live in the present and look to the future."


	20. Terra: Dohko vs Kagaho

They entered the third dark temple, Terra, and found it empty. Then they heard the faint crackling of a fire and found a crucifix of black flames.

"KAGAHO!" Dohko attacked him the moment he stepped out.

"Looks like that match has been made," Aspros said. They continued running without stopping.


	21. Mars: Aspros vs Defteros

Aspros gestured for everyone to stop when they arrived at Mars.

"This dark temple of Mars resembles the Gemini temple," Aspros noted. "I have a bad feeling about this.

"Does that mean you like my decorating?" Defteros stepped out to the front of the temple. He was wearing a Gemini Surplice. "Go. I only want to fight with my brother Aspros."

The others hesitated but continued on when Aspros nodded.

"What is the meaning of this, Defteros?" Aspros said.

"Simple. Hades approached me and offered me the Gemini Surplice." Defteros smiled, showing his fangs. His hair had turned as black as night. "I couldn't take it anymore, Older Brother. I was always watching you from the shadows as you climbed higher and higher. Sage-sama even appointed you as the next Pope. You kept your promise to me and freed me from the mask, but for what?" Defteros clenched his fist.

"Despite all that I've done on Athena's behalf in this Holy War, I still only received a Bronze Cloth." Defteros pointed at Aspros. "I have just as much claim to the Gemini Gold Cloth as you, and now I'm going to take it from you."

"Defteros, I would have given it to you," Aspros said in a pained voice. "I would have given you anything you wanted, traded the Gold Gemini Cloth for the Phoenix Bronze Cloth. You only needed to ask."

"I'm tired of your charity!" Defteros shouted. "I don't need your pity. I don't need anyone, and I certainly don't need you!" He knew he had to finish this quickly, before his brother retaliated with his full strength. "GALAXIAN EXPLOSION!"

"What?" Aspros just barely managed to defend himself from being obliterated but was thrown against the wall of the Mars temple. Defteros grabbed him by the hair and forced him to meet his eyes.

"While I lived in your shadow, I had to train myself to master the Galaxian Explosion and the Another Dimension techniques, and I succeeded! It is proof that the Gemini Cloth is mine!" Defteros' eyes were filled with hatred and bloodlust.

"I see," Aspros said with labored breath. "This isn't you, Defteros. Hades didn't make a deal with you; he used the Genroumaoken, the Demon Emperor Fist, on you. I had always thought it strange that the Pope of Athena would have such a malevolent technique, to control another's mind and command him to kill. I understand now that it was Hades' attack and recorded in the books so we would know how to counter it."

The floor around them melted and became covered with magma. Aspros broke free of his brother's grip.

"MAVROS ERUPTION CLAST!" The magma exploded like the eruption of a volcano. Defteros smashed into the roof before falling to the ground.

"A Gemini technique I wasn't aware of." Defteros snarled angrily. "You've withheld so much from me."

Aspros raised a finger and shot Defteros in the head. Surprised, Defteros paused. The sunlight shined down upon them from the broken rooftop. Defteros broke the silence with mad laughter.

"I don't know what you were trying, but it didn't work." Defteros raised his arms in the position for the Gemini ultimate attack. "You should have finished me off when you had the chance, Big Brother. It's foolish for you to hold back. In the end, we have to fight each other as twins. The existence of one threatens the other."

Tears streamed down Aspros' face. He reluctantly brought his arms up.

"You give me no choice but to do this, Little Brother," Aspros said. He had hoped, with a little more time, his cure would take effect, but it didn't.

"The clash of two Galaxian Explosions." Defteros laughed. "This is how it should be. Come, Big Brother! This war will not end until one of us is dead!"

"I couldn't agree more," Aspros said.

"GALAXIAN EXPLOSION!"

The universe shuddered, and the Heavens trembled. A column of energy blasted into the skies above and the earth below. The Mars temple ripped apart as if it were made of straw. Defteros circled the huge gap and came to stand before Aspros, who was crying tears of blood.

"The Gemini Cloth is mines, as it always should have been," Defteros said.

"Defteros, my little brother, my other half, I would have given you anything you wanted, even my life." Aspros smiled. "You needed only to ask." Aspros' body disappeared, and in its place was the Gemini Gold Cloth.

The wind blew his blue hair, and Defteros realized that he, too, was crying tears of blood.


	22. Jupiter: Manigoldo vs Tokusa

**Manigoldo vs. Tokusa**

"I am the Celestial Wisdom Star, Hanuman Tokusa. Where's Aries Shion?" demanded the guardian of the Jupiter dark temple. "We were both students of Hakurei, and I want to finish our fight."

"Finish? Oh, that's right. I remember hearing about you. You're Hakurei's bastard student who betrayed his family for false immortality." Manigoldo powered up. "Let me take care of him, Sisyphus. We can have a fight between the students of Hakurei and Sage."

"Very well. Don't underestimate him," Sisyphus warned.

Their attacks would be similar since Hakurei and Sage had both trained to be the Cancer Gold Saint and passed this knowledge on to their students. Shion had been a very special case. He had originally trained to be a repairer of Cloths and did learn to be a warrior of Jamir, but he had become the Aries Saint when the Cloth chose him. They had been extremely lucky. There was no Aries Saint to teach him the special attacks, but unlike other Saints, Shion had learned directly from his Cloth through his ability to communicate with Aries Saints of the past.

Manigoldo grinned widely at Tokusa. "Sorry to disappoint you. I'm sure you wanted Shion's head on a gold platter, but he's busy right now. It's that puffy hair isn't it?"

"That's fine. I'll send you to hell first," Tokusa growled. Manigoldo's arrogant attitude was beyond annoying.

Manigoldo attacked with blasts of Cosmos, and Tokusa countered with a series of lightning fast punches. Neither gained the advantage.

"Hades has granted me more power, and I'm stronger than I was before." Tokusa smiled wickedly and attacked. "You can't beat me, Gold Saint!"

"Really? Because I whipped Thanatos' ass, and unless you're more powerful than a god, I seriously doubt you can beat me." Manigoldo boasted. This time when Tokusa attacked, Manigoldo dodged to the side and scissored the Specter between his legs as if they were the pinchers of a crab. "So long, boy. ACUBENS!"

Manigoldo's legs closed around thin air.

"That won't work on me!" Tokusa appeared above him, and his kick sent Manigoldo flying into the wall behind him.

Manigoldo wiped the blood from the corner of his lips. "How-?"

"Teleportation," Tokusa said.

"I see. Just as I'd expect of a warrior of Jamir. Do you have psychokinesis too? I'll be disappointed if you don't."

Several tiles from the floor ripped free and began to float around him. "I'd hate to disappoint you so I won't hold back," Tokusa said as he used his psychokinesis to throw the tiles at Manigoldo.

"Che, child's play. Sekishiki Meikai Ha!" Rather than dodge, Manigoldo raised a finger and transported both Tokusa and himself to the world of the dead.

"You're not the only one who can play with souls." Tokusa jumped into the air. He raised one arm and lowered the other. "SEKISHIKI NYOIREKIRIN!" He made a slicing motion, and souls rained down on Manigoldo like rays of light.

"Idiot." Manigoldo used the souls Tokusa had summoned as gunpowder. "SEKISHIKI KONSO HA!"

"WHAT?" The souls exploded, obliterating Tokusa.

"That was for you, Master." And for his master's brother. "You're next, Hades," Manigoldo said as he hurried to catch up with Athena.


	23. Saturn: Kardia vs Violate

"Gold Saints." The Specter smiled coldly. "I am Violent Star Behemoth, Violate." Most of them remembered her Cosmos from the time when Hades had personally invaded Sanctuary. She had hidden in Hades' shadow and defended his carriage.

"A woman," El Cid said, his voice making it clear that he didn't want to hurt her. The Saints of Athena were all chivalrous.

"I'll take her on." All but Scorpio Kardia. "I wanted to fight someone more impressive, maybe one of the Three Judges, but I don't care if she's a woman, and I doubt the rest of you could ignore that fact."

"The Judges?" Violate laughed. "You don't stand a chance against them, especially Aiacos-sama." Her eyes glimmered.

"Try saying that again after we've sent them all to hell," Kardia said and waved the others on.

"Don't hurt her more than you have to," Degel said to his sadistic friend.

"Oh, please, Degel. This is a fight to the death." Kardia was being realistic. This was the end of the Holy War, and they would all burn their Cosmos to its max. "Now go already."

Sisyphus nodded. Kardia was right and would have no choice in the matter.

"Well, then, Violate, I am Gold Saint Scorpio Kardia," Kardia introduced himself.

"Very well, Gold Saint Scorpio. I will destroy you using all of my power!" Violate stomped and destroyed the ground around them.

"You missed." Kardia said from atop a nearby column. "Damn, woman, you need to lose some weight." His nail grew and shined bright red. "Now it's my turn. Scarlet Needle!"

Wounds the size of pinheads pierced Violate's Surplice. She growled but otherwise withstood the burning pain.

"What is this?"

"The fourteen strikes of the Scorpion's sting brings great pain to its victim. The last, Scarlet Needle, brings death."

"Do you really think that can stop me?" Violate growled and was unwilling to be stopped by the pain. She let out a mighty cry and threw off her Surplice in much the same way Dohko did. In so doing, she forced the needles from her body.

"Are you trying to impress me with your cleavage?" Kardia sneered and attacked her.

"Shadow Sewing!" Violate called out. Suddenly, Kardia found himself unable to move.

"What?"

"I have you now!" Violate didn't just punch him. She was strong. He had to give her that. "Aiacos-sama, watch as I squash this insect for you." He couldn't block her punches. "Any time you give me a stage, I will perform for you, Aiacos-sama." She broke his hand.

Kardia dodged before she could break his other hand.

"How...?"

"You summon the dead and hide them in the shadow, but no prey, dead or alive, can escape the eyes of the Scorpio." Kardia revealed his other nail. "Aiacos-sama this, Aiacos-sama that. I may be an insect, but you're just a show dog."

"So what if I am?" Violate challenged and attacked him anew.


	24. Uranus: Degel vs Aiacos

"Fire and ice. I'll take him on," Degel offered. It seemed more appropriate if he fought in the Dark Temple of Poseidon, but they couldn't pick and choose like that.

"Be careful. He's one of the Three Judges of the Underworld and likely extremely powerful," Sisyphus warned.

"I will be," Degel said with nod.

Aiacos didn't lose any time and attacked immediately after the others departed.

"Surendrajit!" Flaming feathers rained down upon Degel.

"Diamond dust!" Degel cried out. The feathers were not only blown back by the snow but crystalized and broke upon falling to the temple floor. Aiacos drew a cross in the air and it exploded, but a wall of ice protected the Aqurius.

"Indeed, fire and ice. You are indeed a suitable opponent for me." Aiacos avoided Degel's next ice attack and struck him with a mighty punch. When specials failed, brute force was the way to go. Degel went flying into the air. Aiacos leaped up, caught him midair, and threw him onto the floor. Violate wouldn't have gone out with a wimp.

"Koĺtso." Degel stood and this time was careful to keep his distance. A ring of ice surrounded Aiacos and immobilized him. But it didn't last long. Aiacos broke free with far more ease than should have been possible. "What?"

"I won't fall for the same attack twice." Aiacos sneered. "Galactica Death Bring!" Now it was Degel who found himself immobilized, and the insides of his body began to burn.

"Twice?" Degel felt a chill enter his heart despite the fire eating at his nervous system.

"Yes." Aiacos grinned as he saw understanding slowly dawn upon Degel. "Bluegrad. We sought everywhere for the Orichalcum. The Blue Warriors tried to fight us off, but they're weaklings."

"You destroyed Bluegrad?"

"All for the Orichalum," Aiacos said with a nod. "At last, we found it. Your friend Sea Dragon Unity countered this attack with it. Assisted by Poseidon's power, he almost defeated us—all three of us Judges. But just as you Gold Saints have the Athena Exclamation, so do we." Aiacos laughed as Degel lost the last of his strength.

"Unity," Degel managed through gritted teeth. "He stopped you. What happened to the Orichalum?"

Aiacos snarled at the memory of his failure. "The Sea Dragon send it into the Bermuda Triangle. And now, go join your friend, Aquarius! Garuda-"

Degel's body temperature suddenly dropped, countering the fire in his nerves.

"What?" The Garuda Surplice became deathly cold. "Impossible! The Galactica Death Bring-?" Suddenly Aiacos felt it as well. The air around them began to freeze. He tried to counter the cold with his heat, but his limbs were already frozen. He could feel his heartbeat slowing.

Degel raised his arms. "For you, Unity. Die, Aiacos!" Without hesitation, Degel used his most powerful attack, knowing full well that it would kill them both. Nothing could survive at absolute zero. "AURORA EXECUTION!"


	25. Saturn: Kardia vs Violate conclusion

They felt it at the same time.

"Aiacos-sama!"

"Degel!"

Violate attacked him with a desperate fervor. There was nothing left for her. She held Kardia up by the neck and squeezed. Tears were streaming from her eyes. "Do you know how it feels to lose the one you love? You can't understand the pain in my heart!"

"Heh. You think we have it easy just because we're Saints?" Kardia's heart ignited. Violate was forced to drop him. He struck his opponent with 14 needles.

"This again? You've already tried and failed." Suddenly, her blood began to burn. "What have you done to me?"

"Katakario Needle. The fire of my heart ignites the fire of the wounds."

"Impossible! No human could withstand such a temperature!" Violate growled. The attack reminded her of Aiacos' Galactic Death Bring.

"You're right." He drew out his stinger. He raised his Cosmos still higher, and their blood both began to literally boil. "You and your damn Aiacos-sama. Do you know how it feels to know that one moment's passion might kill you? To know that your heart would burst? KATAKARIO ANTARES!"

He let loose the final blow of Katakario Needle, the one that would kill his opponent. Violate grabbed his hand before his needle could come into contact with her.

"I won't lose to you! Even if Aiacos-sama is dead, he can watch my victory from beyond!" She snapped his finger.

Degel, I always assumed you'd outlive me. I always assumed you'd be one of the survivors of this Holy War who would help create a safe future. How long can I live without you?

"Idiot. The best needle is the one closest to the heart—the left needle!" Kardia released the scorpion's last sting. "KATAKARIO ANTARES!"

"Aiacos-sama!" Violate cried out before collapsing.

Kardia held on long enough to make certain she was dead.

"Degel, did you see? I did it."


End file.
